CBS Releases Outtakes From Interview It Held Back

This image made from undated video obtained by The Associated Press, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a man believed to be Peter Theo Curtis, a U.S. citizen held hostage by an al-Qaida linked group in Syria.
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NEW YORK (AP) — The release of U.S. journalist
Peter Theo Curtis
by Syrian captors has prompted "60 Minutes" to issue portions of an interview with a fellow ex-hostage that the show had edited last year to remove references to Curtis.

During an interview with photojournalist
Matthew Schrier
about his captivity in Syria for a story that aired last November, Schrier had talked about being kept in a cell with Curtis and how his fellow American helped him escape through a window to freedom.

Curtis' family, however, asked CBS not to identify him for fear that it could jeopardize his chances for release, said CBS News spokesman
Kevin Tedesco
. The detail about how Curtis helped Schrier climb to safety, in particular, was seen as something that could anger his captors.

CBS agreed, saying on the web site Wednesday that the details were omitted "in the interest of Curtis' safety."

Now, with Curtis released, CBS News is making outtakes of the Schrier interview where Curtis was discussed available on the "60 Minutes" web site. Schrier tells correspondent
Scott Pelley
about how Curtis was tortured, information that also was withheld from November's story.

During the story that aired in November, Schrier talks briefly about being put into a cell with a fellow American, but no identifying characteristics of his colleague were included.

At the time of the story, CBS reached out to families of four people who were being held captive by Syrian groups to ask whether they minded having their loved ones identified. Families of two, including Curtis, said no. But two others wanted their names and stories to get attention so they were identified, including
James Foley
, who was beheaded in a gruesome video released earlier this month.

Besides the online clips, CBS aired a brief story about the newly released information on "CBS This Morning."